Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 June 2017
Let K be a number field or a function field of characteristic 0, let φ ∈ K(z) with deg(φ) ⩾ 2, and let α ∈ ℙ1(K). Let S be a finite set of places of K containing all the archimedean ones and the primes where φ has bad reduction. After excluding all the natural counterexamples, we define a subset A(φ, α) of ℤ⩾0 × ℤ>0 and show that for all but finitely many (m, n) ∈ A(φ, α) there is a prime 𝔭 ∉ S such that ord𝔭(φm+n(α)−φm(α)) = 1 and α has portrait (m, n) under the action of φ modulo 𝔭. This latter condition implies ord𝔭(φu+v(α)−φu(α)) ⩽ 0 for (u, v) ∈ ℤ⩾0 × ℤ>0 satisfying u < m or v < n. Our proof assumes a conjecture of Vojta for ℙ1 × ℙ1 in the number field case and is unconditional in the function field case thanks to a deep theorem of Yamanoi. This paper extends earlier work of Ingram–Silverman, Faber–Granville and the authors.